The Wizard of Oz (1939)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Victor Fleming
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Writers:

Noel Langley (screenplay) and
Florence Ryerson (screenplay) ...
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Release Date:

25 August 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Tagline:

"The Wizard" Musical Returns By Unprecedented Demand! [UK re-release]

Plot:

Dorothy Gale is swept away to a magical land in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home.

Plot Keywords:

Wizard | Dog | Witch | Tornado | Heart

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Judy Garland	...	Dorothy Gale
Frank Morgan	...	Professor Marvel / The Gatekeeper / The Carriage Driver / The Guard Who Cries / The Wizard of Oz
Ray Bolger	...	Hunk / The Scarecrow
Bert Lahr	...	Zeke / The Cowardly Lion
Jack Haley	...	Hickory / The Tin Man
Billie Burke	...	Glinda
Margaret Hamilton	...	Elmira Gulch / The Wicked Witch of the West / The Wicked Witch of the East
Charley Grapewin	...	Uncle Henry
Pat Walshe	...	Nikko
Clara Blandick	...	Auntie Em
Terry	...	Toto (as Toto)
The Singer Midgets	...	The Munchkins (also as The Munchkins)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorothy Barrett	...	Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)
Amelia Batchelor	...	Inhabitant of Emerald City (uncredited)
Billy Bletcher	...	Mayor / Lollipop Guild (voice) (uncredited)
Lorraine Bridges	...	Ozmite / Lullaby League (voice) (uncredited)
Buster Brodie	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Tyler Brooke	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
Mickey Carroll	...	Fiddler (uncredited)
Adriana Caselotti	...	Juliet (voice) (uncredited)
Harry Cogg	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Tommy Cottonaro	...	Bearded Man (uncredited)
Ken Darby	...	Munchkinland Mayor (voice) (uncredited)
Sid Dawson	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Abe Dinovitch	...	Apple Tree / Munchkin (voice) (uncredited)
Jon Dodson	...	Lollipop Guild (voice) (uncredited)
Sig Frohlich	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Phil Harron	...	Winkie (uncredited)
Charles Irwin	...	Tin Polisher (uncredited)
Lois January	...	Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)
The King's Men	...	Munchkin Voices (uncredited)
Ethelreda Leopold	...	Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)
Mitchell Lewis	...	Captain of the Winkie Guard (uncredited)
Bud Linn	...	Lollipop Guild (voice) (uncredited)
Dona Massin	...	Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)
Lee Murray	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
George Noisom	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Jack Paul	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
The Rhythmettes	...	Themselves (uncredited)
Elvida Rizzo	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
Rad Robinson	...	Munchkin Coroner (voice) (uncredited)
Ambrose Schindler	...	Winkie (uncredited)
Helen Seamon	...	Woman with Cat (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan	...	Oz Balloon Ascensionist (uncredited)
Oliver Smith	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
Robert St. Angelo	...	Winkie (uncredited)
Ralph Sudam	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Winkie (uncredited)

Directed by
Victor Fleming
Mervyn LeRoy		(uncredited)
Richard Thorpe		(footage unused and completely reshot) (uncredited)
King Vidor		(Kansas scenes) (uncredited)

Writing credits
Noel Langley		(screenplay) and
Florence Ryerson		(screenplay) and
Edgar Allan Woolf		(screenplay)
Noel Langley		(adaptation)
L. Frank Baum		(novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz")
Irving Brecher		uncredited
William H. Cannon		uncredited
Herbert Fields		uncredited
Arthur Freed		uncredited
Jack Haley		additional dialogue (uncredited)
E.Y. Harburg		uncredited
Samuel Hoffenstein		uncredited
Bert Lahr		additional dialogue (uncredited)
John Lee Mahin		uncredited
Herman J. Mankiewicz		uncredited
Jack Mintz		uncredited
Sid Silvers		uncredited

Produced by
Mervyn LeRoy	....	producer
Arthur Freed	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Harold Rosson		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Blanche Sewell

Casting by
Leonard Murphy		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Malcolm Brown		(uncredited)
William A. Horning		(uncredited)
Jack Martin Smith		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons
George Gibson		(uncredited)
William A. Horning		(uncredited)
Wade B. Rubottom		(uncredited)
Elmer Sheeley		(supervising art director) (uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Adrian

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	creator: character makeups
Del Armstrong	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Holly Bane	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Don L. Cash	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Jack Dawn	....	makeup artist: Frank Morgan (uncredited)
Lyle Dawn	....	makeup artist: Billie Burke (uncredited)
Max Factor	....	wig supervisor (uncredited)
Fred Frederick	....	wig designer (uncredited)
Sydney Guilaroff	....	braids: Dorothy (uncredited)
Cecil Holland	....	makeup department head (uncredited)
Jack Kevan	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Lou LaCava	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
George Lane	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Beth Langston	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist: Jack Haley (uncredited)
Betty Masure	....	body makeup artist (uncredited)
Norbert Miles	....	makeup artist: Ray Bolger (uncredited)
Gustaf Norin	....	prosthetic technician (uncredited)
Josef Norin	....	prosthetic sculptor (uncredited)
Web Overlander	....	makeup artist: Judy Garland (uncredited)
Fred B. Phillips	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Eddie Polo	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Bob Roberts	....	wig designer (uncredited)
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Charles H. Schram	....	makeup artist: Bert Lahr (uncredited)
Howard Smit	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Lee Stanfield	....	makeup artist: Jack Haley (uncredited)
William Tuttle	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Edith Wilson	....	body makeup artist (uncredited)
Jack H. Young	....	makeup artist: Margaret Hamilton (uncredited)

Production Management
Ulric Busch	....	unit production manager (uncredited)
Charles Chic	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Joe Cook	....	assistant unit manager (uncredited)
Louis B. Mayer	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)
Keith Weeks	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Shenberg	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
William A. Horning	....	associate art director
Jack E. Ackerman	....	props (uncredited)
E. Preston Ames	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Leo F. Atkinson	....	painter: clouds (uncredited)
Hugo Ballin	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
John Bossert	....	designer: castle (uncredited)
Malcolm Brown	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
Edward C. Carfagno	....	draftsman (uncredited)
John Coakley	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Conklin	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Marvin Connell	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Randall Duell	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Harry Edwards	....	property master (uncredited)
A.D. Flowers	....	set dresser: trees (uncredited)
Jack Gaylord	....	propmaker foreman (uncredited)
George Gibson	....	lead scenic artist (uncredited)
William Gibson	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Harvey T. Gillett	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Henry Greutert	....	head sculptor (uncredited)
Clem Hall	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
William Hellen	....	draftsman (uncredited)
F. Wayne Hill	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
K. Johnson	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Ray Perry Sr.	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Clark M. Provins	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Ted Rich	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Arthur Grover Rider	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Gerald F. Rocket	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Jim Roth	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Billy H. Scott	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Jack Martin Smith	....	principal sketch artist (uncredited)
Duncan Spencer	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
J. Russell Spencer	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Steffgen	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Charles B. Steiner	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Marvin Summerfield	....	draftsman (uncredited)
John J. Thompson	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Leonid Vasian	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Woody Woodward	....	draftsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director
James Burbridge	....	sound technician (uncredited)
G.A. Burns	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)
Earl Cates	....	playback operator (uncredited)
O.O. Ceccarini	....	sound designer (uncredited)
William Edmondson	....	boom operator (uncredited)
James F. Gaither Jr.	....	boom operator (uncredited)
James Graham	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
T.B. Hoffman	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Van Allen James	....	apprentice sound editor (uncredited)
Lowell Kinsall	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Standish J. Lambert	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Frank McKenzie	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Franklin Milton	....	special sound effects (uncredited)
Ralph A. Pender	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
George G. Schneider	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Douglas Shearer	....	sound designer (uncredited)
Robert Shirley	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Ralph Shugart	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Newell Sparks	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
William Steinkamp	....	supervising re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Michael Steinore	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
P. Richard Stevens	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
R.L. Stirling	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Don T. Whitmer	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
John A. Williams	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	special effects (as Arnold Gillespie)
Edwin Bloomfield	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)
Marcel Delgado	....	miniatures (uncredited)
Max Fabian	....	special photographic effects (uncredited)
A.D. Flowers	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Donald Jahraus	....	miniatures (uncredited)
J. McMillan Johnson	....	senior special effects technician (uncredited)
Mack Johnson	....	special effects (uncredited)
Jack McMaster	....	special effects (uncredited)
Hal Millar	....	special effects (uncredited)
Bob Overbeck	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Glen Robinson	....	special effects prop shop (uncredited)
Don Trumbull	....	special effects rigger (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Rik Panero	....	technical support (1998 release, credited on theatrical prints only)
Chris Bayz	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Kevin Braun	....	digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Christopher Rogers Costa	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Gregory Creaser	....	camera operator: digital restoration (uncredited)
Chris Crowell	....	digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Sandy DellaMarie	....	digital production coordinator (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Max Fabian	....	director of photography: visual effects unit (uncredited)
Chris Flynn	....	digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Jack Gaylord	....	assistant visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
George Gervan	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Richard Gervan	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
Maureen Healy	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Heather Hoyland	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Matt Linder	....	lead digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Warren Newcombe	....	director of matte painting staff (uncredited)
Candelario Rivas	....	matte painter: castle (uncredited)
Rasha Shalaby	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Jack Smith	....	camera operator: visual effects unit (uncredited)
Lynn Tigar	....	digital paint artist: restoration (uncredited)

Stunts
George Bruggeman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Aline Goodwin	....	stunt double: Margaret Hamilton, broom-riding stunt (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Allen M. Davey	....	associate photographer (as Allen Davey)
Virgil Apger	....	still photographer (uncredited)
John Arnold	....	camera department head (uncredited)
Pop Arnold	....	key grip (uncredited)
Chris Bergswich	....	assistant electrician (uncredited)
A.W. Brown	....	chief unit electrician (uncredited)
Clarence Sinclair Bull	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Eric Carpenter	....	still photographer: Kodachrome stills (uncredited)
Bill Chapman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Sam Cohen	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Nelson Cordes	....	camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
Fred Detmers	....	camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
Raymond Griffith	....	electrician (uncredited)
George Hommel	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Henry Imus	....	camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
Paul 'Shug' Keeler	....	electrician (uncredited)
W.E. Pohl	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ray Ramsey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera: Technicolor (uncredited)

Casting Department
W.L. Gordon	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mrs. Cluett	....	costumer (uncredited)
Agnes Imes	....	costumer (uncredited)
Sam Kress	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)
Rose Meltzer	....	costumer (uncredited)
Vera Mourdant	....	costumer (uncredited)
Sheila O'Brien	....	dresser: women (uncredited)
Marianne Parker	....	seamstress (uncredited)
Jack Rohan	....	dresser: men (uncredited)
John Scura	....	costumer (uncredited)
Marie Wharton	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Margaret Booth	....	supervising editor (uncredited)
George Cave	....	color timer (uncredited)
Ernest Grooney	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Tom Held	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
George Bassman	....	orchestrator
Bobby Connolly	....	staging of musical numbers
Murray Cutter	....	orchestrator
Ken Darby	....	vocal arranger
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator
Herbert Stothart	....	music adaptor
Leo Arnaud	....	orchestrator: Munchkinland musical sequence (uncredited)
Edward Baravalle	....	assistant scoring mixer (uncredited)
George Bassman	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Peter P. Decek	....	music recording engineer (uncredited)
Roger Edens	....	music arranger: vocals (uncredited)
Nat W. Finston	....	music supervisor (uncredited)
Skitch Henderson	....	musician: piano (uncredited)
Bud Linn	....	singing voice: Lollipop Guild (uncredited)
M.J. McLaughlin	....	music mixer (uncredited)
William Saracino	....	music editor (uncredited)
Herbert Stahlberg	....	assistant music mixer (uncredited)
George Stoll	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Herbert Stothart	....	composer: original incidental music (uncredited)
Herbert Stothart	....	conductor (uncredited)
Robert W. Stringer	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Roger Wagner	....	assistant chorus director (uncredited)

Other crew
Henri Jaffa	....	associate technicolor color director
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director
Paul Adams	....	stand-in: Mr. Morgan (uncredited)
Arthur Appell	....	assistant: Mr. Connolly (uncredited)
Maud Gage Baum	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Eddie Becker	....	rehearsal accompanist (uncredited)
Busby Berkeley	....	choreographer: scarecrow's dance (uncredited) (deleted from final print)
Harlan Briggs	....	double: Uncle Henry (uncredited)
Stafford Campbell	....	stand-in: Scarecrow (uncredited)
William H. Cannon	....	assistant: Mr. LeRoy (uncredited)
Betty Danko	....	stand-in: Wicked Witch (uncredited)
Howard Dietz	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Roger Edens	....	rehearsal piano (uncredited)
Frances Edwards	....	caterer (uncredited)
Jim Fawcett	....	stand-in: Mr. Lahr (uncredited)
Arthur Freed	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Freddie Gilman	....	animal trainer: horse (uncredited)
Aline Goodwin	....	stand-in: Ms. Hamilton (uncredited)
Jane Harrison	....	secretary: Mr. Fleming (uncredited)
Andy Hervey	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Bobbie Koshay	....	stand-in: Ms. Garland (uncredited)
Harry Link	....	agent: Leo Feist Music Publishing (uncredited)
David Marks	....	assistant script supervisor (uncredited)
Caren Marsh	....	stand-in: Judy Garland (uncredited)
Dona Massin	....	assistant: Mr. Connolly (uncredited)
Harry Master	....	stand-in: Tin Woodman (uncredited)
Pat Moran	....	stand-in: Mr. Lahr (uncredited)
John M. Nickolaus	....	laboratory supervisor (uncredited)
Barron Polan	....	assistant: Mr. LeRoy (uncredited)
Freddie Retter	....	stand-in: Mr. Walshe (uncredited)
Bill Richards	....	animal wrangler: birds (uncredited)
Si Seadler	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Leo Singer	....	coordinator: Munchkins (uncredited)
Carl Spitz	....	dog owner and trainer: Terry (uncredited)
Georgia Stark	....	rehearsal assistant (uncredited)
Howard Strickling	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Norman Taurog	....	director test scenes (uncredited)
Curly Twiford	....	animal trainer: birds (uncredited)
Jack Weatherwax	....	trainer: Terry (uncredited)
Frank Whitbeck	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Wallace Worsley Jr.	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Loew's (as "Loew's Incorporated")

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1983) (USA) (video)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1956) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (UK) (theatrical) (reissue)
• MGM/CBS Home Video (1980) (USA) (VHS) (Original Home Video Release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1989) (USA) (VHS) (50th Anniversary Release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Action Gitanes (1999) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (2006) (UK) (theatrical) (digitally remastered re-release)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1970) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (MGM Children's Matinees)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1971) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (MGM Children's Matinees)
• Varus Video (????) (Russia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Brittingham Commissary  catering (uncredited)
• Max Factor  makeup and hairstyling (uncredited)
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  sound re-recording (uncredited)
• Turner Entertainment  package design (1989 release)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone) | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) | Dolby Digital (re-release) | Mono (Western Electric Sound System) | SDDS (re-release)

Certification:

Singapore:G | Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/6 (DVD rating) | South Korea:All | Philippines:G | Brazil:Livre | USA:Approved (certificate #5364) (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1970) | USA:Passed | New Zealand:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:AL (video rating) | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/4 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Meinhardt Raabe, who played the Coroner of Munchkinland, was, at one time, the shortest licensed pilot in the U.S. During WWII, he volunteered for military service and was turned down. He was accepted as a volunteer instructor in the Civil Air Patrol.

Goofs:

Continuity: After being joined by the Tin Man, as the three start back down the Yellow Brick Road, the negative is flipped. Refer to orientation of buttons on Scarecrow's shirt, rivets on Tin Man's torso, and orientation of Tin Man's funnel cap. This was probably done to compensate for continuity error in characters' positioning.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dorothy: She isn't coming yet, Toto. Did she hurt you? She tried to, didn't she? Come on. We'll go tell Uncle Henry and Auntie Em.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Selma's Choice (#4.13)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

If I Only Had a Brain

A Wiz of a film, if ever a Wiz there was

The NBC Peacock began unfolding its wings. "The following program is brought to you in living color--with portions in black & white--on NBC." That exclusive intro began my exposure to color television at Grandma's in 1968. When Dorothy stepped out into Technicolor, I'll bet my eyes just popped.

This is the Movie of All Time, folks--a status achieved during its long run as a huge annual TV event during that classic era whose programs now show up on TV Land network. In the 1970s, Peter Marshall once read the answer on Hollywood Squares as to the program seen more times by more people than anything else ever shown on television. It was "Oz." Likewise, no movie has the hold on popular culture that this one does. What lion character ever since (i.e., Snagglepuss) hasn't been an impersonation of Bert Lahr going, "Put 'em up, put 'em uuuuup!"

Few musicals offer an equal combination of lovable music and engaging story. Perhaps "The Sound of Music." Hard to think of many Hollywood musicals where the story gets as serious as it does here when the Witch informs Dorothy that, "The last to go will see the first three go before her...and her mangy little dog too!" Yikes! In contrast, even the best of other Hollywood musicals seem to serve up fluffy, forgettable story lines that are mere backdrop to the song numbers that typically put the plot on hold.

I can't say that "Oz" doesn't have technical flaws or story element inconsistencies. It's just that the astonishing production values all around so overwhelm the shortcomings. The tornado sequence is a 1939 special effects tour de force--incredible. And the Nutcracker-quality musical score offers songs tastefully interwoven with the action. Certain numbers like "Merry Old Land of Oz," I never get tired off, though I like each of the songs.

Oz should be viewed in the lightness of spirit that it deserves. I mean look, we have Frank Morgan as the Emerald City gatekeeper, then seconds later as the cabbie with the Horse of a Different Color, then the Wizard's palace guard, and then the voice of fire-and-smoke Wizard of Oz who bellows, "Step forward, Tin Man!" What other film could put an actor go through 4 quick-changes within 10 minutes to such an endearing result? "Oz" is as magic as those sparkling ruby shoes.

The early Technicolor process utilized triple nitrate negative strips--separately recording each primary color in light. This was done due to the lack of a suitable "color film" in 1939. That would quickly change--but films from years following suffered from hues that faded with the years, even original negatives. Because "Oz" was actually filmed on a black-and-white base film, the negatives never faded. So now we have home videos/DVDs of breathtaking color quality. Now, the tinted filters in the cameras that separated the colors onto the negative strips meant that intense illumination was required, rendering the filming experience miserably hot for the actors involved, especially Lahr. But they all hold up amazingly well.

"Oz" has a valuable message. As the pop group America once said, "No, Oz never did give nothin' to the Tin Man....that he didn't, didn't already have." If we have truly search, we can find within us--or create through trial, like the Lion's courage--what we think we most lack. The Wizard (like the Lord) helps those who find help within themselves.

I feel sorry for the Almira Gulches who can't treasure this film experience. They need to visit the Emerald City to get their own ticking Testimonials and find their hearts.

Didn't bring your broomsticks with you? Well, I'm afraid you'll have to walk.